Why Pro-Life? by Randy Alcorn

So much is at stake in the abortion debate. If pro-choicers are right, precious freedoms are in jeopardy. If pro-lifers are right, innocent children are being robbed of their most basic freedom—life. Though bumpersticker slogans prevail, the facts are rarely presented. We need clear and credible answers to the central questions of the abortion debate. For those who have had abortions or are currently considering one, for pro-choicers and fence-straddlers alike, (pro-lifers should read it too!) Why Pro-Life? provides answers to these questions in a concise, straightforward, and nonabrasive manner.

Last week I received a book in the mail, Why Pro-Life. It is a thin book of just over 100 pages. I am already a strong pro-lifer and have become increasingly so over the past several years. This book was written to three groups of people:

You may be a pro-lifer but not know why. This book is for you! It is not enough to know what you believe, but to know why. Even if you have an idea of why, this book is still for you. I guarantee, you will learn something that will strengthen you in your pro-life conviction.

If you are a fence-straddler that has been easily swayed back and forth many a time, this book is for you! The pro-choice crowd has a corner on the media market, so it is no wonder that so many folks are “in the middle” when it comes to their feelings on abortion. This book may just firm up your feelings into strong beliefs that support life.

You may be pro-choice. Hopefully, you’ve picked up this book with an open mind and will see a pro-life movement that loves babies, pregnant women, and even women that have gone through an abortion.

Randy Alcorn’s purpose in writing this book is not so much that the church talk to the world about abortion (though that is important), but that the church talk to the church about about abortion. Nearly 2/3 of women who have gone through abortion(s) identify themselves with some sort of religious belief (43% Protestant–nearly half [18%] label themselves as born-again/evangelical–and 27% Catholic).

The arguments presented in Why Pro-Life are grounded in medical science and psychological studies. At the conclusion, there is some biblical counsel for those who have had abortions as well as some biblical exhorting for Christians first to see the need to be active, and second for Christians to get active.

You will encounter a number of statistics, many testimonies from former pro-choicers and a thoughtful, logical, compassionate, and factual presentation on the merits of the pro-life movement. Thirteen pages of endnotes list out numerous resources cited in the twenty chapters. Some are in print, some are online, but if you want to see what the author is saying is so, you can find out.

If you were to ask me what chapter was the best, I would probably have to say chapter 17: What About Adoption? Did you know that there are approximately 1.3 million couples waiting to adopt? Deduct from the annual newborns 1.3 million children killed each year by abortion, only 50,000 children remain for adoption. Thirty children are killed for every one that is adopted. For every couple that adopts, another forty wait in line. This tragedy is a result of various persons and groups not presenting all the choices. Many women in crisis pregnancy situations think that the only routes they have are give birth and raise the child, or abortion. Because of a lack of support from their peers or relatives, all too often, they choose abortion.

Here at my blog, the Political Cowboy, I will be designating next month (that’s January) as “The Other Choice Awareness Month,” the other choice being adoption. Why January you ask? Well, it just so happens, my adoption was finalized in January of 1982. Furthermore, we have the dreaded anniversary of Roe vs. Wade from January 22, 1973. As the month goes on, I will be pointing out sites that promote adoption. If anyone out there has been adopted or has adopted, you know someone that has/has been adopted, and would like to share what adoption means to you, feel free to comment (I’ll even consider a guest-post if there’s any interest).

So get ready! January is just around the corner (and so is the new year!)

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Why Pro-Life is currently available free of charge at Abort73.com (while supplies last) if you sign up on their mailing list. It is also available from CBD or Amazon.com used or brand new.

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Thank you for this post. i just recently read Deadline by Alcorn and was really touched and challenged by the way he presented the pro-life side. although this book is a fictional novel, the message of life and Christ is utterly clear and has really made me think about my stance and how i represent it when it comes to abortion. if you like fiction i’d check it out, especially if you like alcorn. i’ll be looking into more of his non-fiction as well. not sure if you know anything about alcorn’s personal past with abortion clinics, but it’s quite interesting. i would definitely read up on it if you haven’t yet. blessings~

As a mother who lost her first born (and only) son to psychological abortion– aka: adoption, I would ask that before promoting the destruction of families any further, you learn more about the effects of adoption on mothers and their children. For me and my husband, adoption was not a “choice” for us (nor was abortion, even after Roe V Wade), but rather was forced upon us by societal coercion that told us the only way to gain retribution for our “sin” was to pay the price of giving our only son to a family that was “better” than us at the time. Yes we were young, but we were not unfit in any way. Losing our son has affected every moment of our lives since that time. Having four subsequent daughters does not replace the son we lost. There is a hole in our hearts that can never be filled, not even through reunion. Adoption is a painful fracturing, not only of families, but of generetions. It is sad to me that we judge pregnancy of the young or unwed so harshly. Maybe if we (as a society) would love our neighbors as God commands, we wouldn’t shame young mothers into desparate measures.

I am sorry to hear about your situation. Thank you for sharing what is probably not easy to do on your part. No doubt that it has been a tough one for you and your husband. I am glad that abortion was not on your list of options.

I’m not saying that adoption is an emotionally easy decision to make that is free from emotional struggles later on in or throughout life. Nor am I saying that every adoption paints a picture-perfect family.

I am an adoptee that has been incredibly blessed with wonderful godly parents that love me beyond what I can fathom. I know my birth mom and though we might disagree here and there, she loves me (and by the way, it was her choice to give me up for adoption) and I love her.

Does every single-mom have to give her child to adoption? In my opinion, no. If she is able to manage her life along with rearing a child, great! I do believe the best families consist of a loving father and mother. I do believe that if she feels that she (along with the child’s father) cannot handle the situation, adoption is a perfectly legitimate choice and probably should be kept on the table as an option until both are certain they can handle it.

You close with What God hath joined, let no man put asunder. An interesting facet of adoption is that is is often more secure for the child than living under his/her birth parents. Many states have rules that if you write your adoptee into your will, they are in to stay no matter what they do. Back in the early church era, Roman law made it so that you could not give an adopted child up for adoption (making the adoption picture of salvation through Christ so wonderful).

I must be going for now. Thanks again for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

There are many situations we don’t always understand. It is in those times that we have to trust that God is sovereign in every situation.

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